Bayer's Lake Developments & Discussion Thread

[dlandry]

It looks like they're working on something across from Kokomo's in Bayer's Lake (corner of Chain Lake and Susie Lake). The lot was always empty, but now it is cleared and leveled off. Does anyone know what this is going to be?

Originally they were running what looked like large sewer conduit along the road (square concrete stuff with an opening about 5' high) down past the Sears Parts and Service building. I'm not sure what that is really called. I suspect this was related to the Washmill Lake underpass.

Dean

[Tincture]

I think it is a Needs Gas Station & Car Wash with a New Second Cup attached.

[q12]

Originally Posted by q12

Bayers Lake plan hiked
Halef: Project now worth $350 million


By CHRIS LAMBIE Business Editor
Sat, Sep 3 - 4:54 AM

http://thechronicleherald.ca/Business/1261511.html

Besim Halef is amping up his plans for Bayers Lake Business Park.

What had been billed as a $250-million commercial development that would add about a million square feet of retail space to the park has grown to a $350-million project, the president of Banc Developments Ltd. said Friday.

"We believe it will be close to two million square feet," Halef said. "When you have more buildings, you’re going to spend more money."

He came up with the conclusion about two weeks ago that Banc’s original plan for the 81 hectares of land the company is buying from Halifax Regional Municipality was just too small.

"It is going to be rejigged," Halef said of the plan. "I’m going to maximize the space requirement."

He’s also considering minimizing the office space originally planned for the project.

"Retail, commercially, is more viable for us than office," Halef said.

He hopes to start $50 million of road work in the park this winter.

"We’re finalizing the concept design on Bayers Lake so we’re hoping to be in the ground sometime either late this year or early next year.

"Once we do the construction, as of right now, we can build right away. So by the time we build the road, we’ll probably have a couple buildings at the same time."

Banc’s deal for the land, located behind the Kent Building Supplies outlet on Chain Lake Drive, is slated to close at the end of October.

Halef declined to say what he paid for the land or name any of the businesses that will move into the newly developed area.

"We have inked deals. We have letters of intent and offers to lease.

"We certainly are looking at a couple of big boxes and the rest are medium box stores that will be coming in. We have a considerable amount of interest."

Some tenants could start moving in at the end of 2013, Halef said.

"At the present time, we are only looking at really selling to two or three because, obviously, those are key box stores that they normally own. But the rest of the development, we’re going to build and lease."

Quoting myself here I know, but here is the concept map off HRM's website. I expect this Bayers Lake expansion will be massive and have no trouble finding tenents thanks to the Shipbuilding Contract.

http://www.halifax.ca/business_parks...ulkMapPlan.pdf

[icetea93]

hmm... Ikea? Bass Pro Shops? Cabela's? maybe I'm just being optimitic. (excluding Cabela's; that one is very possible)

[Keith P.]

I hope it includes major changes to the road and signalized intersection network. Traffic there is getting worse every day.

[worldlyhaligonian]

Originally Posted by icetea93

hmm... Ikea? Bass Pro Shops? Cabela's? maybe I'm just being optimitic. (excluding Cabela's; that one is very possible)

A large size dt location would be even better (imagine groundfloor of espace), would round out the outdoor stores nicely.

[Jonovision]

This whole plan makes me sick to my stomach.

[coolmillion]

This expansion is worrying. Banc should be required to improve pedestrian access and fix traffic problems in the existing park before it is allowed to proceed with an expansion. It is a completely unsustainable model of development.

[-Harlington-]

Was in the area so ill post some updates/general photos :



Updates :







Im not sure whats going here


Im not sure whats going here either, near lazy boy and kartban






General Photos :



behind kent
















Im crossing my fingers that this expansion does not happen but it seems sadly inevitable .

[sdm]

Originally Posted by -Harlington-

Was in the area so ill post some updates/general photos :



Updates :







Im not sure whats going here







Im crossing my fingers that this expansion does not happen but it seems sadly inevitable .

I believe this is a new petro can gas bar.

[Dmajackson]

Tidbits from the Burnside News

• Metro Transit’s Route 52 bus will no longer travel up from Chain Lake Drive to the various businesses located at the top of the hill on the east side of the street. That includes such establishments as Empire Theatres, Sears, Zellers, Future Shop, Atlantic Superstore and Walmart. Citing safety concerns from people darting into the parking lots, Metro Transit says its buses will now stay on Chain Lake Drive. Park visitors will have to walk up the hills on their own despite the lack of sidewalks.

• With at least two new developments preparing to open on Hobsons Lake Drive in 2012 and the increasing traffic generated by the Access Nova Scotia centre, HRM’s traffic division is reported close to making the decision to install four-way traffic lights at the intersection of Horseshoe Lake Drive, Hobsons Lake Drive and Chain Lake Drive. This busy intersection is a safety concern to many users of the park, including the Bayers Lake Business Association, so the pending arrival of traffic lights is welcome news.

• Construction at the corner of Chain Lake Drive and Susies Lake Drive will soon result in Bayers Lake’s only gas bar. The same location used to be home to a small gas bar servicing the trucking industry several years ago, but its closure left the park without a gas station of any kind.

[ScovaNotian]

This beauty appears to be a multi-tenant building under construction in Bayers Lake, with the Federal Government as a tenant. The Armco site also has a map with further development sites that no doubt will be used as effectively. Apparently, some residential is planned for the lands around Lovett Lake.

[Dmajackson]

Took some photos over the weekend;

Hobsons Lake Drive Developments









McQuade Lake Crescent Development





103 Chain Lake Drive



Metro Self Storage Expansion

[Dmajackson]

I still have no clue what the hell this building is for (photo by me yesterday)

[Northend Guy]

posted wrong pic...see below

[Northend Guy]

Originally Posted by Dmajackson

T

Metro Self Storage Expansion

I am starting to wonder if this is the Metro Self Storage or not. I have seen the plans for the storage place - they show glass the entire way around the building on the top floor - this sure doesn't look like that is the case. Maybe a different development in the same area? Or maybe they got ride of some of the glass. Does anyone know the civic address for the building in the pic?

[kph06]

Originally Posted by Northend Guy

I am starting to wonder if this is the Metro Self Storage or not. I have seen the plans for the storage place - they show glass the entire way around the building on the top floor - this sure doesn't look like that is the case. Maybe a different development in the same area? Or maybe they got ride of some of the glass. Does anyone know the civic address for the building in the pic?

This building has gone up another floor since that photo was taken, it does looks like the top will be glassed in, they aren't fitting up any of those aluminum studs yet.

[worldlyhaligonian]

I don't think it has an address, its at the back of the Metro Self Storage lot.

It will be window-wall glass (I think that's what its called) around the top floor for offices apparently.

[Northend Guy]

Originally Posted by worldlyhaligonian

It will be window-wall glass (I think that's what its called) around the top floor for offices apparently.

One would think...its actually storage on the top floor. I guess it must be for 'window shoppers' driving by on the highway. Seems a bit odd, but it is what it is.

[q12]

Consultant: Bayers Lake big boxes likely eyeing expanded park

http://thechronicleherald.mobi/busin...-expanded-park

By COLLEEN COSGROVE Business Reporter
21 weeks ago

Aging and comparatively on the small side, big-box stores such as Walmart, Costco Wholesale and Canadian Tire are likely contenders eyeing land available in the Bayers Lake Business Park expansion, commercial real estate expert Bob Mussett says.

“These are some natural tenants,” said Mussett, senior managing director of CB Richard Ellis for Atlantic Canada.

“Twenty years ago, when Costco and Walmart designed and built their boxes, they were state of the art at the time. But those have evolved and changed now, so they naturally fall onto a list that would look at this expanded area as an opportunity to maybe move and deploy one of their new boxes.”

The multi-phase commercial development spearheaded by Banc Developments Ltd. is worth more than $350 million and will include two big-box stores and a number of smaller outlets that will add up to one million square feet of retail space and nearly double the retail capacity of the park.

Although Mussett has heard otherwise, representatives with Canadian Tire said the company has no plans to relocate its Dunbrack Street store and build a larger-format store at Bayers Lake. The store on Quinpool Road is entirely off the table because it was recently renovated, a company spokesperson said.

Representatives from Walmart and Costco could not be reached for comment.

Meanwhile, although Halifax will always be considered a “secondary city” for United States retailers looking north of the border, the lucrative shipbuilding contract and the spinoff potential it holds will further bolster the city’s position as a valuable retail investment, Mussett said.

Existing retail vacancy in Halifax is healthy at 4.8 per cent and the shipbuilding contract and developments such as the Bayers Lake expansion are sure to help chip away at that number.

“Given the demand that’s in the market and the future growth potential, the retail vacancy rate is not going to increase, it will most likely decrease,” Mussett said. “Even before the ships contract, there was demand for more space. The contract is going to further underpin all real estate in this market.”

To date, Banc Developments owner Besim Halef has letters of intent requesting about 300,000 square feet of retail space.

Although Halef wouldn’t confirm which retailers are on board, he said shoppers can expect “fashion and household items ... a good mix.”

Ideally, construction would have started already, but Halef said he wanted to wait until he reached the threshold of 300,000- to 400,000-square feet confirmed before shovels hit the ground. The first work to transform the 81 hectares of undeveloped land behind the Kent Building Supplies outlet on Chain Lake Drive will begin in February or March.

The entire development is expected to take five to 10 years.

This story is a couple months old.
Has anyone seen any work started on this massive project yet?

Concept map: http://www.halifax.ca/business_parks...ulkMapPlan.pdf